THAT WON’T DIE
Red Sox GM: Can’t we just move on?
RED SOX general manager Ben Cherington sidestepped questions Sunday about how new Mets catcher Kelly Shoppach was involved with the now infamous text message that was sent from Adrian Gonzalez’s cell phone to team ownership.
The Daily News reported Sunday that Gonzalez was not the author of the text message that precipitated late July meetings in New York to discuss manager Bobby Valentine — the latest drama surrounding the team — and that a small group of players that included Shoppach had crafted the message, according to MLB sources.
Gonzalez was tired of hearing the group’s complaints about Valentine and all of them agreed that a text message from the team’s highest-paid player would get ownership’s attention.
“I saw it today,” Cherington said before the Sox lost, 4-1, to the Yankees. “I can’t add any more to that whole story. The meeting happened over three weeks ago now and time has passed. We’re trying to move on and focus on what’s going on (on the field).”
In Washington, Shoppach repeated denials of involvement that he’d given The News the day before. He also met with Mets officials, including spokesman Jay Horwitz and assistant GM John Ricco, to deny his involvement and try to put distance between himself and the incident.
Sox owners came to New York and had separate meeting with players, Valentine and the coaching staff on July 26. Soon after, Cherington and owner John Henry said Valentine would manage the rest of this season — he has a two-year contract. Shoppach was reportedly shopped to other teams in the final week of July. The Mets completed a waiver trade for him Tuesday, clearing the way for Boston to call up Ryan Lavarnway from the minors.
“I wasn’t behind any text. I actually didn’t even attend the meeting on an off day in New York,” Shoppach said. “I stayed back in Texas with my family. I have already gotten a few text messages from some of my former teammates apologizing that my name was even brought up in it. Everybody ... involved in that whole situation knows I had nothing to do with it.”
Cherington said the team’s poor on-field performance had opened the door to the melodrama that’s followed the team, including another report of players complaining to ownership and the Kevin Youkilis situation.
“Normally when you’re being scrutinized, there’s a reason for it,” the GM said. “Things aren’t going the way you want them to be. We made that bed ourselves and it’s up to us to make it better. When we make it better, there will be less scrutiny and . . . fewer distractions. I’m focused on finding ways to make our current situation better. I know that’s what the players are doing, the coaches and certainly Bobby.
“Everyone ... is responsible for making it better,” he added. “Until we do, we’ve earned the criticism, we’ve earned the scrutiny.”